Reasons For Poverty

• Rising Population: population rose by a million during the Elizabethan period, more people meant more demand for goods, so prices rose
• Inflation: prices for goods rose, but wages feel as there were more people around to do work
• Cloth Trade Collapse: woollen cloth was England’s main export, there was a decline in demand, and it led to unemployment
• Wars: taxes were increased to compensate for the price of waging war
• Poor Harvest: harvests were particularly bad in the 1590s leading to even higher demand and more ricing prices
• Farming Changes: many landlords decided to enclose their fields and keep sheep instead of growing crops which led to more unemployment